Reversible pivot arm for masking leg drops



Feb, 28, 1939. c. o. HAYES REVERSIBLE PIVOT ARM FOR MASKING LEG DROPS Filed Oct. 4, 19s? -INVENTOR CURT/S 0776 HA YES A T TOR/VEY Patented Feb. 28,. 1939 REVERSIBLE.

PATENT OFFICE PIVOT ARM FOR MASKING LEG DROPS Curtis Otis Hayes, Phoenix, Ariz., assignor to 0. B. Marston, Phoenix,

Application October 4,

3 Claims.

l My invention relates to supporting arms for masking leg drops used in theatre and auditorium stage sets. Heretofore these leg drops have, for the most part, been hung on battens directly suspended from the fly loft and paralleling the battens supporting the masking borders, while no provision was made for adjustment of leg drops, either laterally on-or off stage, or angularly; nor has any provision been made for reversing them without entirely untying them from the batten and retying in the reversed position.

By my invention I have provided a support for the masking leg drops whereby they may be adjusted to any angle desired, or entirely reversed. My support is also adapted to be held by slote balls in a-slote batten so that the leg drop may be moved to any center of the stage. a a A The objects of my invention are: first, to provide a supporting arm to which leg drops may be tied or otherwise conveniently attached; second, to provide means for supporting said arm whereby it may be easily turned on a vertical axis; third, to provide a retention device in connection with said support, whereby the angle of the arm may be adjustably fixed and retained at any predetermined position relative to the means for support; and, fourth, to provide means cooperative with said arm support whereby said retention device may be easily released and operated from the stage floor.

I accomplish these objects by means of the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a semi-diagrammatic view of a portion of a stage with the leg drop shown in position and supported on one of my reversible pivot arms; Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of one of my devices showing a modified means of a supporting the device; and Figure 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

My. device consists principally of a horizontal bar or arm 2,'supported on a compound locking pivot 3. Any form of leg drop 4, whether it be a curtain or a panel, may be attached to bar 2 by ties 5, or other convenient means.

The compound lockingpivot consists of an upper stationary part 6, and a lower movable part I3. The upper part 6 has a downwardly facing steadying plate or disk I, and braces 8 joining an I upper member which may be a bar In, as in Fig. 1,

or a plate I I, as in Fig. 2.

The top of a pivot rod I 2 is fastened to this up per member and extends downwardly through convenient distance from the 1937, Serial No. 167,232

steadying plate 1, to which it is welded, a sufiicient distance to accommodate the rotating or moving part l3. 'Ihis lower part is composed of a steadying plate M at the top, braces l 5 attached to the under side thereof, converging at and attached to the center of the horizontal bar 2.

The center of circular, steadying plate l4, and bar 2 is drilled to receive rod I 2 with a loose working fit. Rod l2 extends below bar 2 a sufiicient distance to receive an open coil spring l6 and two interlocking retaining nuts l1, and has its lower end threaded a sufficient distance to permit adequate adjustment of the tension of this spring by these nuts. Normally plates 1 and M are held together face to face in juxtaposition by the tension of spring l6.

Plate I4 is pierced by any'desired number of holes I 8, annularly arranged around the central hole receiving rod 12, these holes constitute flats or recesses to form a detaining means cooperative with a detent on plate 1.

A cylindrical boss or detent IQ of somewhat smaller diameter than holes I 8 is attached to and positioned on the lower face of steadying plate 7 so as to drop into any one of the said holes when disk is turned to bring the latter in register. This arrangement of parts constitutes a means for looking or latching the relative rotative positions of the stationary part and moving part of my compound pivot and may be termed a rotary position latch.

Spring is is of sufilcient length to provide resilient compression through a distance great enough to allow plate M to be drawn down away from plate 1 far enough to disengage boss I9 from any of the holes l8. It is also of suificient strength to retain and support the weight of the moving part of the pivot and any leg drop attached to the bar 2, and at the same time hold plate l4 against plate 1 with sufficient force to prevent dislodgment of boss l9 from any retaining hole l8.

The form of pivot shown in Fig. 1 has the stationary part 6 provided with two upwardly extending arms 2| above bar I. The upper ends ofthese arms are provided with slote balls 22 adapted to run in the race in slote batten 23 so that the entire pivot arm and pivot may be moved either on or oiT stage. The form shown in Fig. 2 has the plate I I drilled to receive screws 24 for attachment either to the auditorium stage ceiling or a batten 25 which may, in turn, be "supported by lines from the flyloft.

In use, my devices are attached to whatever support is desired (either slotes, battens, or the ceiling), at the desired positions throughout the depth of the stage, leg drops 4- are attached to each of the arms 2 to reach to the stage floor 26, (indicated in section Fig. 1). The position of masking borders is as indicated by dotted outline 21.

When it is desired to dress the stage in wing form, arms 2 are turned to be parallel with the front of the stage. When it isdesired to form a closed set the leg drops are turned at right angles to the stage front, or at such angles as necessary to close the wings and form a solid wall extending to the back drop. Turning the leg drops is accomplished very simply by grasping them and pulling downwardly sufficiently to overcome the tension of spring {6 so that boss I9 is released from any retention hole occupied in plate l4, turning the leg drop on bar 2 together with the entire pivot moving part l3 to the position desired and then releasing it. This permits plate M to spring toward plate I and thereafter the arm 2 may be slightly turneduntil the boss I9 drops into the nearest hole in plate [4.

Where the pivot is mounted on balls to run in a slote, off-stage adjustment is also possible, and by adjusting the angle of the masking leg drops, a cyclorama set may easily be formed. Since the leg drops may be easily reversed either side may be exposed for win-g or wall sets and the scene varied according to the side presented.

Having now fully described my invention and explained its use, I wish to be limited only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A reversible pivot for masking leg drops comprising in combination, a stationary upper ,part having its upper portion provided with means for attachment to any supporting member of a stage set and a steadying plate having a radially positioned depending boss made a part of its lower portion, and a centrally positioned pivot rod extending downward therefrom, a movable lower part having a steadying plate adapted to face the steadying plate of the upper portion in juxtaposition thereto pierced by a plurality of holes annularly arranged andpositioned to register with the said boss on said upper portion, and a horizontal bar adapted to support a masking leg drop made a part of its lower portion, said steadying plate and said horizontal bar being drilled to receive said.- vertical pivot rod with a working fit, a spring intermediate the end of said pivot rod and the lowermost part'of said movable lower portion to resiliently hold together said steadying plates of said respective portions.

2. A reversible pivot support for masking leg drops comprising, in combination, an upper part adapted to attachment to a supporting member I of a stage set and having a depending pivot rod support, a lower movable part having a horizontal bar adapted to support a masking leg drop centrally and pivotally supported on said depending pivot rod support, and a rotary positioned latch operative between said parts comprising horizontal juxtaposed plates on said parts respectively, a detent on one plate, a detention means on the other plate consisting of a plurality of annularly positioned holes adapted to receive said detent, and a spring operative between said parts normally urging said parts together to effect latching so that a downward motion of said movable part will efiect disengagement of said detent from said detention means.

3. A reversible pivot support for masking leg drops comprising, in combination, an upper part adapted to be attached to a supporting member of a stage set, having a downwardlyeXtend-ing pivot rod, a movable lower part provided with a horizontal bar adapted to support a masking leg drop pivotally supported on said pivot rod, and latching means operative between said parts comprising a detent on one part and a horizontal plate on the other part, provided with a plurality of annularly arranged holes adapted to receive said detent, and a spring normally urging said detent into engagement whereby a downward motion of said movable lower part will effect disengagement thereby permitting said lower part to be turned on said pivot rod. CURTIS OTIS HAYES. 

